Fit blondes in Berlin

[Claw75]

approaching the end of week one. tempting as it is to do a detailed (and boring) write up I shall resist.  In summary though, I've done a lot of walking this week and improved my diet.  Unintentional at this stage (but good) side-effects are that my caffeine intake has dropped considerably (more than 50%), as has the amount I've been smoking (about 25%).  I've also been sleeping much better and generally feeling more energetic and less stressed.  I weighed myself a couple of weeks ago for the first time in months and was coming in at 10 st 1.5 lbs.  Hopped on the scales this morning out of interest and am now 9 st 12.5 lbs

The temptation to skip a bit ahead of myself on the schedule and start doing some running now is immense, but I don't want to fall into what I believe is a fairly common trap of trying to do too much too soon and doing more harm than good.  It turns out my natural walking speed is a bit faster than I gave myself credit for though, so might adjust the next couple of weeks' walking plans a bit doing more mileage to make sure I'm walking for long enough.

[byronkincaid]

So, the 'training' goal for this week is 3 walks, at moderate pace, of 30 minutes each, the first of which I'll be doing tomorrow evening.  Next week it's the same again, with one extra walk thrown in.  Week 3 is three 30 minute walks at a fast pace, and week 4 is four 45 minute fast walks.  All should be fairly easy going, and a good foundation for week 5 when I dig out the shock absorber and start doing some actual jogging

i would think some time between week 6 and 8 is gonna be THE perfect time to give up smoking, will greatly help the running and the running will help with the putting on weight problem that affects a lot of people when giving up.

[Claw75]

week 2 done and dusted.  Early stages still going well.  Managed to avoid junk food completely this week, and my diet coke addiction has dropped from at least 2 litres a day to about 2 litres over the course of the week with fruit juice and water replacing.  Had too many coffees though

My official 'training' this week was 4x fast 2 mile walks, all of which I did and enjoyed.  On top of that I probably put in another 6-7 miles in 1-1.5 mile walks over the week.  Next week it's 3x 3.5 mile walks, with 4 3.5 mile walks the week after. (this is slightly adapted from the actual preliminary programme)

D day for ciggies is tomorrow.  I had been planning on knocking those on the head when I actually started doing some running but a combo of actually feeling ready to quit now and being pretty skint has spurred me on.  Got some nicotine lozenge things to help me along.

Haven't weighed myself yet (will do in the morning if i remember) but my usual jeans (which were getting a bit snug) now require a belt again

Oh, and I'm british now

[gatso]

Good stuff Claire

Don't overdo the oj though, it's good to cut down on all the crap in diet coke but if you swap for juice then you're increasing your calorie intake. Liquid calories are dangerous as you don't really notice them

Obv keep up the coffee levels though, caramel macchiatos are very much ftw

[Claw75]

Good stuff Claire

Don't overdo the oj though, it's good to cut down on all the crap in diet coke but if you swap for juice then you're increasing your calorie intake. Liquid calories are dangerous as you don't really notice them

Obv keep up the coffee levels though, caramel macchiatos are very much ftw

yeah I know.  I was saying to someone last night I doubt my intake in terms of calories has dropped much.  It's probably risen actually coz before i wasn't eating regularly, just eating crap sporadically.  It's pretty much all good stuff going in now though and I'm making an effort to eat brekkie every day which I was pretty bad at before.  Not actually trying to lose weight anyway, just a bit of a bonus if i drop a few pounds.

[RED-DOG]

What do you runny types think about the Eddie Izzard 43 marathon thingy?

[gatso]

What do you runny types think about the Eddie Izzard 43 marathon thingy?

ridic good obviously. a few others have done similar over the last couple of years but none in quite the same way, they weren't chubby comedians who stopped off en route for icecream

possibly the most ridic endurance race I've heard of recently was last years deca ironman. this is 10 times the normal ironman distance so a 24 mile swim followed by a 1,160 mile cycle topped off with a 260 mile run all done in one go. as if this wasn't bad enough some people did a double-deca so a 48 mile swim, 2,320 mile cycle followed by 20 full marathons

I can't find last year's results but there was one in 1998 that was won in over 437 hours

[Claw75]

I now have an interim goal

http://www.sheffieldmarathon.com/enter/how/

anyone else fancy it?

[Claw75]

running is harder than I remember.

[RED-DOG]

What do you runny types think about the Eddie Izzard 43 marathon thingy?

ridic good obviously. a few others have done similar over the last couple of years but none in quite the same way, they weren't chubby comedians who stopped off en route for icecream

possibly the most ridic endurance race I've heard of recently was last years deca ironman. this is 10 times the normal ironman distance so a 24 mile swim followed by a 1,160 mile cycle topped off with a 260 mile run all done in one go. as if this wasn't bad enough some people did a double-deca so a 48 mile swim, 2,320 mile cycle followed by 20 full marathons

I can't find last year's results but there was one in 1998 that was won in over 437 hours

Missed this earlier, but wow!

[Claw75]

goals for november

read gatso's book

buy/read this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nonrunners-Marathon-Guide-Women-Training/dp/1580052053/ref=pd_cp_b_3

search murky depths of back/bottom of wardrobe for trainers.

ditch the cigs.

do a bit of walking/jogging.

cut mcdonalds/kfc intake to 1 per week.

nearly the end of November.  Started reading gatso's book - not ordered the other one yet.  

Got new running shoes, done a lot of walking and did my first bit of running yesterday morning.  I say 'running', in reality it was 'just' running for 5 mins/walking for 5 minutes x3.  Sounds dead easy.  After the first five minutes my ankles were killing and felt like lead.  Got it done though.   Spent most of the rest of the day a mixture of feeling pretty tired and wanting to go out and do it again Today my inner thighs ache.  Quite a satisfying feeling really - after initially feeling a bit overwhelmed that i'd struggle to even do this simple start to the training it's kind of reassuring to feel like I have done some exercise that is going to have some benefit if it's making me ache.

ditching the fags - meh.  Managed a few days on only a couple a day but lapsed back into it since.  The trouble with nicotine replacement is it makes me feel really dizzy and sick - nearly crashed the car after having a quarter of a lozenge on the first day.  Need to rethink strategy.  Last time I 'successfully' gave up I used some of those horrible herbal cigarettes you can buy from health food shops every time I felt the urge to smoke.  They're so disgusting it only took a few days of that before i didn't smoke at all.  If that doesn't work I'm going to see the doctor to ask about champix - a few family members have used it successfully after numerous failed attempts.

Junk food count - McDonalds 0  KFC 1 (today )

Will set some goals for December at some point in the next couple of days.

weight sitting at 9st 11lb for last week or so

[RED-DOG]

Keep the updates coming Claire. Other peoples self discipling type projects really interest me.

Good luck BTW.

[rex008]

Electronic cigarette has worked for me. I've been fag free since Feb, still use the e-cig, but a lot less than when I started. I'm currently alternating between Maple Waffle and French Apple Tart.

[Claw75]

Keep the updates coming Claire. Other peoples self discipling type projects really interest me.

Good luck BTW.

thank you, I will.  another post coming in a minute.  I wish the others would post too though - feel like i'm monopolising what's supposed to be a group thread (but I guess the others have a big head start on me )

[RED-DOG]

Keep the updates coming Claire. Other peoples self discipling type projects really interest me.

Good luck BTW.

thank you, I will.  another post coming in a minute.  I wish the others would post too though - feel like i'm monopolising what's supposed to be a group thread (but I guess the others have a big head start on me )

Yep. gatters deffo has a start in the big head stakes.